Top 5 things to do in Cincinnati this weekend: March 4-6

Here are our picks for the best things to do this weekend in Cincinnati.

First off, fish fry season is here! Go to bitly.com/2022fishfrylist for our full list and a map to find the fish fries closest to your neighborhood.

1. Bockfest

Wasn't it the Beatles who sang "Get bock, get bock, get bock to where you once belonged?" Okay, well maybe not, but you can indeed get bock this weekend at Bockfest, Cincinnati's annual celebration of bock beer and the coming of spring. The bocking good time starts at 6 p.m. Friday when the parade steps off at Arnold's Bar and Grill (210 E. Eighth St., Downtown) and wends its way through Over-the-Rhine to Bockfest Hall at Findlay Playground (1811 Vine St., Over-the-Rhine).

The merriment continues at Bockfest Hall Saturday and Sunday with a variety of fun, educational and just plain wacky events. There's the Bockfest 5K at 10 a.m. Saturday, Brewery District tours and historical programming, and chef Christian Gill is cooking up a Bockfest Pig Roast. Pig roast tickets are $39 and include a full meal plus drink. More than 30 different bock beers from local breweries are on tap throughout the weekend. Try them all with the tasting ticket package. $35 for 4-ounce pours of all the bock beers plus a pint glass and tasting guide.

The "bock-a-nalia" really ramps up Saturday evening with the crowning of the Sausage Queen, happening around 9:30 p.m. Whew! After all the craziness of Saturday, the vibe is definitely more chill on Sunday. You'll find a petting zoo, goat yoga, free games for kids and adults, live music, a .05K fun run and the Little Links competition. Bockfest is free to attend. bockfest.com.

2. "Harpers Ferry 2019"

In sleepy West Virginia, three young park rangers train for a living history reenactment about John Brown’s ill-fated raid on Harpers Ferry – 160 years after the event – while a reality TV documentary crew looks on. This dark comedy follows the three as their personal lives get increasingly tangled, and when race and politics enter the equation, will history repeat itself?

Ryan-Chavez Richmond, Veronica Dang and Samuel Fisher make their MainStage debuts in this world premiere by Kaela Mei-Shing Garvin at the Know Theatre (1120 Jackson St., Over-the-Rhine). Showtime is 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday. The play runs through March 20. Tickets are $15-$35. theknowtheatre.com.

3. "Hello Dolly"

This 1964 musical, with lyrics and music by Jerry Herman and a book by Michael Stewart, is based on Thornton Wilder’s 1938 farce "The Merchant of Yonkers," which Wilder revised and retitled "The Matchmaker" in 1955. The musical follows the story of strong-willed matchmaker Dolly Gallagher Levi as she travels to Yonkers, New York, to find a match for the miserly “well-known unmarried half-a-millionaire” Horace Vandergelder.

The play runs March 4-20 at Loveland Stage Company, 111 S. Second St., Loveland. Showtime is 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and at 3 p.m. Sunday. There will be an American Sign Language performance on Sunday, March 13. Masks are required while inside the theater. Tickets are $20. lovelandstagecompany.org.

4. Kentucky Symphony Orchestra, The Greatest Showmen: Charlie Chaplin & P.T. Barnum

The circus is coming to town with a double feature the whole family will enjoy. The Kentucky Symphony Orchestra will screen Charlie Chaplin's silent film "The Circus" while performing Chaplin's original score. Then, for a second act, the KSO will be joined by vocalists and Circus Mojo performers for musical numbers from the 2017 Hugh Jackman film "The Greatest Showman."

You can enjoy the performance in-person at St. Henry High School's Drees Auditorium (3577 Scheben Drive, Erlanger) at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, or opt for virtual access and watch at your leisure for up to 60 days after the concert. Capacity is limited to allow for social distancing. Tickets are $35. 859-431-6216; kyso.org.

5. Winter Jam 2022

Christian music's biggest multi-artist tour comes to Heritage Bank Center this weekend, featuring a solid lineup of acts including Skillet and Tauren Wells. Skillet, best known for songs like "Whispers in the Dark," "Hero" and "Monster," just released a new album in January. Tauren Wells' hit single "Famous For (I Believe)" won Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year at the 2021 GMA Dove Music Awards. Other artists slated to appear include KB, Colton Dixon, NewSong, I Am They, Abby Robertson, Bayside Worship, Shane Pruitt.

Winter Jam has a "no ticket required" policy, requesting a $10 donation at the door. Doors open at 4 p.m., with the show starting at 6 p.m. Saturday. Heritage Bank Center is located at 100 Broadway, Downtown.

Honorable mention: FC Cincinnati vs. DC United

FC Cincinnati's fourth season of Major League Soccer – and second at TQL Stadium – began on the road last week in Texas, and while some diehard fans made the journey, most have been awaiting the home opener, which takes place at 6 p.m. Saturday against DC United. There will be pregame action at various venues around the city, including Washington Park (1230 Elm St, Over-the-Rhine), which will have a DJ spinning tunes, food trucks and family-friendly activities from 3 p.m. until kickoff. TQL is located at 1501 Central Parkway, West End. fccincinnati.com.

Honorable mention: Lenten Fish Fry

It's Lent, and that means there's a fish fry happening near you, no matter where you are in Greater Cincinnati. A fish fry is one of the biggest fundraisers of the year for churches and organizations, and after two years of being stymied by the pandemic, things are looking up. They could really use your support.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Top 5 things to do in Cincinnati this weekend: March 4-6